China, Maldives deepen defense ties

Chinese Defense Minister Gen Liang Guanglie, during a visit to the Maldives, had discussions with his Maldivian counterpart, Mohamed Nazim, with both sides indicating their interest in developing further military ties.

The Maldives, an independent archipelago nation off India's western coast in the Arabian Sea, sits along China's Middle Eastern oil shipping routes from the Persian Gulf.

Following his meeting with Nazim, Liang said China and Maldives have enjoyed a "long history" of friendship and the "sound development" of bilateral relations, the Press Trust of India reported.

The discussions represent another element in China's evolving Western strategy to protect is maritime oil imports from the Middle East.

China has long been developing its diplomatic and military relations with the Maldives, providing aid and commercial agreements in addition to consolidating its ties with Sri Lanka off India's southeastern coast, increasing its visibility in waters traditionally regarded as India's "backyard."

United Press International is a leading provider of news, photos and information to millions of readers around the globe via UPI.com and its licensing services.

With a history of reliable reporting dating back to 1907, today's UPI is a credible source for the most important stories of the day, continually updated - a one-stop site for U.S. and world news, as well as entertainment, trends, science, health and stunning photography. UPI also provides insightful reports on key topics of geopolitical importance, including energy and security.

A Spanish version of the site reaches millions of readers in Latin America and beyond.

UPI was founded in 1907 by E.W. Scripps as the United Press (UP). It became known as UPI after a merger with the International News Service in 1958, which was founded in 1909 by William Randolph Hearst. Today, UPI is owned by News World Communications.